Apparatus and method for dividing cut tobacco into package-size weights

ABSTRACT

Loose cut tobacco is fed via a feeder, a tower separator and a special tangential separator to the upper end of an upright conduit to form a column of substantially uniform density therein, a conveyor conducting a substantially uniform stream of tobacco from the lower end of said conduit to cutter means for cutting off the proper length of said stream equivalent to a predetermined weight of tobacco, wiper means wiping said cut length off the conveyor to a packaging machine.

United States Patent APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIVIDING CUT TOBACCO INTOPACKAGE-SIZE WEIGHTS 13 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

- US. Cl. 53/23, 53/24, 53/59 W, 53/123, 53/124 CC Int. Cl 1165b 1/24,1365b 25/02, B65b 57/14 Field ofsearch 53/23, 24, 59 W, 123,124 R, 124CC Primary Examiner-Wayne A. Morse, Jr. Attorney-Smart and BiggarABSTRACT: Loose cut tobacco is fed via a feeder, a tower separator and aspecial tangential separator to the upper end of an upright conduit toform a column of substantially uniform density therein, a conveyorconducting a substantially uniform stream of tobacco from the lower endof said conduit to cutter means for cutting off the proper length ofsaid stream equivalent to a predetermined weight of tobacco, wiper meanswiping said cut length off the conveyor to a packaging machine.

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iNVENTORS LORNE A. ROWELL ROGER LAFLEUR PATENIED JUH22I971 SHEET 2 OF 3LORNE A. ROWELL, ROGER LAFLEUR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to an apparatus and method for cleaning, classifyingand automatic dividing of cut tobacco into package-size weights withinprescribed tolerances.

Package-size weights of cut tobacco for pipes or for handrolledcigarettes at present are obtained by hand, a worker taking a handful oftobacco from a supply, weighing it and adjusting to approximately thecorrect weight, then taking it from the weighing scale and placing itinto buckets which supply a packaging machine. This method is subject toseveral disadvantages such as human error, nonuniformity of the tobaccomix, slowness and cost of human labour.

Previous attempts at mechanical weighing of cut tobacco have resulted inserious degradation of the tobacco strand sizes and, therefore, have notbeen generally adopted by the industry.

One object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus whichwill ensure a substantially uniform mix of tobacco strand sizes, measuresubstantially constant weights of tobacco and feed the tobacco weightsto any type of known packaging machines.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and methodfor automatically dividing cut tobacco into BRIEF SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION Apparatus according to the invention comprises an upstandingconduit, feed means for feeding loose tobacco of substantially uniformdensity to the upper end of said conduit, a conveyor disposed beneaththe lower end of said conduit, means for driving said conveyor toconduct a substantially uniform stream of tobacco from said conduitalong a substantially horizontal path, cutter means for cuttingpredetermined lengths from said stream, and wiper means for wiping a cutlength transversely from said conveyor for feeding to a packing machinewhich may be of a conventional type.

The method according to the invention basically comprises the steps ofestablishing a mat of loose cut tobacco of substantially uniform densityand cross-sectional area, and cutting from said mat predeterminedlengths representing packagesize weights.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of the apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the metering belt, and the cutter apparatusassociated therewith;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the metering belt and associated apparatusshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a view of the cutter head showing valve means mounted thereonadapted to be operated by the cutter blade and wiping mechanism;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the cutter head showing the solenoidoperated slide-valve mounted thereon which governs the flow of fluid tothe cylinders operating the cutter blade and wiper mechanism;

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of the cutter head showing the presser plate,cutter blade, wiper blade and a control associated with the cutterblade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, theapparatus consists of a hopper 25, adapted to receive loose bulk flnecut tobacco, which has mounted therein a conveyor 26 which transportsthe tobacco upwardly and feeds it between counter rotating members 27and 28, provided with spreader members of helical rod rotor formationwhich loosen and spread the tobacco in a substantially uniform layeracross the width of the upper end of conveyor 26. The tobacco isdischarged from the conveyor 26 into a hopper 29 on demand'from aphotocell level control, not shown, but located at the lower end ofhopper 29. The tobacco is removed from the hopper by an upwardlyinclined tined conveyor belt 30 mounted in a housing 31. Rotatablymounted above the inclined tined belt 30 there is a tined refuser rotor32 which removes the excess of tobacco carried above the tines of belt30 whereby a predetermined depth or mat of tobacco remains thereon. Therefuser rotor 32 also plays a part in combing out lumps in the tobacco.The tobacco retained between the tines of belt 30 is removed by arotating doffing brush 33, which is mounted adjacent the upper end ofthe housing 31 in contact with the return flight of the tined belt. Therotating doffing brush 33 removes the tobacco from the tines and feedsit into a spout 34 which directs it onto a vibrating screen conveyor 35.The tobacco deposited upon screen conveyor 35 is agitated to loosen themass and. sift out the fines which pass downwardly through the screen ofthe conveyor. The screened tobacco transported by the conveyor 35 isdeposited in the mouth 36 of the tower separator inlet 37 where there ismounted a bladed rotor 38 which throws the tobacco into and across thetowe'rseparator 39 at a predetermined velocity. In the tower separatorthe tobacco is subjected to an upward current of air which carries loosetobacco upwards while permitting tobacco lumps or agglomerates andforeign material, gum and stem chips to fall downwardly. The downwardlyfalling material falls on a vibrating screen 41 which screens out thestems, etc., the tobacco lumps retained on the screen being conveyedinto a conduit 42 which is connected to the suction side of a pneumaticconveyor terminating in a tangential separator 43 which returns thetobacco lumps to tined conveyor 30 for further combing.

The tobacco passing upwardly in the separator 39 is fed to a specialtangential separator through an adjustable throat 44 formed between theinner and outer scrolls of the separator. The area of the throat iscontrolled by a damper 45 which guides the stream of tobacco enteringthe separator against the inner surface of the outer periphery or scrollof the separator. Air and dust are discharged into the exhaust conduit46 which is connected to the fan 47. The fan 47 exhausts the air toatmosphere via a filtering apparatus 48 which collects the dust orprovision could be made to return the air to the lower end of tower 39.The mass of tobacco-which passes through the throat 44 travels aroundthe inner face or periphery of the outer scroll and forms into abeltlike mass which flows and is guided into an outlet 49 formed on theseparator 40. and passes downwardly into a metering tube or conduit, 50.The tobacco entering metering tube 50 flows downwardly within the tube,under the influence of gravity and the force of the airstream within theseparator 40. The metering-tube 50 at its lower end is provided with anarcuate throat 51 which deflects the stream of tobacco from a verticalflow toa horizontal flow. The throat, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises anarcuate backplate 52 and an adjustable, arcuate, hingedly mounted frontplate 53 which is retained in adjusted position by adjusting means 54.The tobacco issuing from throat 51 flows onto metering conveying belt 55which carries it between transversely adjustable guides 56, supported onside rails 57 of the framework 58. The tobacco, as it is carried alongby metering conveying belt 55, passes beneath a compacting roller 59which reduces the depth of the mat of tobacco sufficiently to pennit itspassage beneath a cutter head assembly 60 and continue its travel untilthe leading end of the mat abuts against a tobacco stop 61.

The cutter head assembly comprises a cutter head 62, which supportsthereon a resser-plate 63, a cutter blade 64 and a wiper blade 65. Thecutter head 62 has formed therein bores 66 (FIG. 6) adapted to slidablymount cutter head 62 on upstanding guideposts 67 which are secured torails 57 of framework 58. The upper free ends of guideposts 67 are heldin spaced relation by entablature 68 which is secured thereon by nuts 69and 70. The presser-plate 63 consists of a soleplate 71 formed with anarcuate edge which faces upstream in relation to the travel of the matof tobacco. A pair of upstanding posts 72 are secured in transversespaced relation to the soleplate 63 and extend upwardly through bores73, formed in cutter head 62. The upper ends of the posts 72 extendingabove the cutter head 62 are threadedly engaged in nuts 74 which areadjusted to maintain the soleplate 71 a predetermined distance below thebottom surface of cutter head 62. The presser-plate is yieldablymaintained in its downward position by springs 75 which encompass theposts 72 and bear against the upper surface of the soleplate 71 and thelower surface of the cutter head 62, respectively. The cutter blade 64,as shown in H6. 7, is secured to the cutter head and extends downwardlywith its upstream face abutting against the downstream edge -ofsoleplate 71. The cutting edge of the cutter blade, as shown in FIG. 7,is aligned in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom plane of thesoleplate 71. The wiper blade 65 is mounted on a crosshead 76 which isslidably mounted on parallel horizontal spaced shafts 77. The shafts 77are supported at their ends in brackets 78 which are mounted on andsecured to cutter head 62. The wiper blade 65, as shown in FIG. 3, abutsagainst the downstream face of cutter blade 64 and extends at a rightangle therefrom a distance, when in the downward operative position,sufficient to sweep the space between the cutter blade 64 and tobaccostop 61.

The cutter head 62 and the appended presser-plate 63, wiper-blade 65 andcutter blade 64 are reciprocated upwardly and downwardly by a piston andcylinder arrangement 79, 80 (FIG. cylinder 79 being mounted on andsecured to entablature 68 while piston rod 80 is attached to cutter head62. The wiper-blade 65 is reciprocated back and forth across meteringconveyor belt 55 by a piston and cylinder arrangement 81 mounted on andsecured to the left hand bracket 78, see FIGS. 4 and 5. The piston rodof this arrangement not shown, passes freely through said bracket to besecured at its free end to the crosshead 76. The cutter blade 64 andwiperblade 65 when in the lowered, operative position are adjusted toclear the metering conveyor belt 55 by approximately fiveone-thousandths of an inch. The adjustment of the wiperblade 65 and thecutting edge of the cutter 64 is accomplished by collars 82 threadedlyengaged on the lower ends of guide posts 67. The upper surfaces of thecollars 82, engaging the lower surface of the cutter head 62 aroundguide posts 67 when the cutter head is forced downwardly into theoperative position, arrest and stop the cutter head 62. The cylinders 79and 81 mounted on entablature 68 and the bracket 78, respectively, areactuated by a slide valve 83 which is reciprocated by a solenoid 83. Theslide-valve 83 operates in conjunction with one-way pilot valves 84 and85. The valve 84 is installed in the supply conduit, not shown, so thatthe lever arm 86, pivotally secured thereon, is actuated by a dowel-pin87 when the cutter head 62 has reached the end of its downward stroke,whereupon the pressure in the cylinder 79 is permitted to exhaust andcut off the power. The one-way pilot valve 85 is secured on the cutterhead 62 so that the lever arm 88 pivotally mounted thereon projectsdownwardly, see FIGS. 4 and 5, into the path of crosshead 76 which hasformed thereon a chamfered surface 89 adapted to engage arm 88. The arm88, when actuated, moves the valve to open position, permitting thepressure within cylinder 81 to exhaust so that the travel of thecrosshead may be arrested at the end of its stroke. Simultaneously withthe termination of the wiping stroke of wiper-blade 65 the solenoid 83'is energized to reset the slide valve 83 so that the cylinders 79 and 81are energized to raise the cutter head 62 and the attached wiper-blade65, the cylinder 81 withdrawing the wiper-blade to the left, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5.

lt will be appreciated that when the cutter head assembly is forceddownwardly, the resser-plate 63 contacts and presses the mat of tobaccoto a predetermined depth, depending on the preset yield strength ofsprings 75. The cutter blade, as it travels downwardly severs a portionof tobacco from the mat and the wiper-blade at this moment is energizedto wipe the severed portion off the metering belt 55. The belt 55, frombeneath the presser path to a point slightly beyond the tobacco stop 61,is slidably supported on a bedplate 89 secured between the side rails 57of framework 58, see H6. 4. The bedplate acts as a rigid means whichresists the downwards pressure of the pressure plate 63 and the cuttingblade 64. The block or batch of tobacco wiped from the meteringconveying belt 55 falls into a chute 90 which guides it into wrapping orpackaging machine 91, known to the trade as a Rose Packers. The speed ofthe metering belt 55 and the timing of the reciprocations of the cutterhead 62 are governed by the rate at which the packer receives and wrapsthe blocks of tobacco, by means of suitable electronic equipment, notshown but well known to the art. Each wrapped block of tobacco ejectedfrom the packer is picked up by a conveyor 92 (HO. 1) which carries itand deposits it onto the bands of a weighing machine 93 which hasincorporated therein sensing means adapted to function when the packagespassing thereover are overweight or underweight beyond predeterminedtolerances. If the packages are overweight the sensing means, throughservo-means, and electronic means, known to the art, feeds a signal toslow down the speed of the conveyor belt 55. lf, on the other hand, thepackages passing over the weighing machine are underweight the sensingmeans signals the servo and electronic means which speeds up theconveyor belt 55 until the weights of the packages are within thepredetermined tolerances. The metering tube is provided with a series ofphotoelectric cells 94 adapted to scan the column of tobacco in themetering tube and maintain it at the proper level for efficientoperation by controlling the speed of components of the apparatusupstream of the tube.

Packages which are overweight or underweight beyond the permittedtolerances are blown into a reject bin by a blast of air controlled bythe weight-sensing means.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for automatically dividing cut tobacco into package-sizeweights, said apparatus comprising an upstanding conduit of uniformcross section, feed means for feeding loose tobacco of substantiallyuniform density to the upper end of said conduit, said feed meansincluding a vertical tower, means for introducing tobacco laterally intosaid tower, means for producing upward current of air in said tower tocarry upwards only tobacco particles of a desired density, and atangential separator adapted to receive said particles and deliver themto the upper end of said conduit, means for observing the level oftobacco in said conduit, means for controlling the rate of feed oftobacco into said tower to maintain said level within predeterminedlimits, a conveyor disposed beneath the lower end of said conduit, meansfor driving said conveyor to conduct a substantially uniform stream oftobacco from said conduit along a substantially horizontal path, andcutter means for cutting from said stream predetermined lengthsrepresenting package-size weights.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including wiper means for wipinga cut length transversely from said conveyor for feeding to packagingmeans.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cutter means includes avertically disposed cutting blade, means for vertically reciprocatingsaid blade, a horizontal presser-plate movable with the cutter blade andadapted to contact and compress loose tobacco immediately upstream ofthe cutter blade, and resilient means yieldingly urging saidpresser-plate downwardly.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wiper means wipes thecut length of the tobacco from the downstream side of the cutter meanswhile said cutter means remains in a down position.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, including check weighing means forchecking the weight of packages discharged from the packaging means andresponsive to excessively overweight or underweight packages to alterthespeed of the conveyor.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tangential separator isdesigned to utilize the tobacco in the upstanding conduit as an air sealto prevent ingress of air while at the same time providing dischargemeans for the material from the tangential separator.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said feed means furtherincludes a bulk tobacco conveyor, a plurality of helical rod rotors forremoving tobacco from said bulk conveyor, an upwardly inclined, tinedconveyor for receiving tobacco from said rotors, a tined rotor adjacentsaid tined conveyor for brushing excess tobacco on said conveyordownwardly and combing out agglomerates on said conveyor, a brush rolleradjacent the upper end of the return run of said tined conveyor forstripping tobacco from said tined conveyor, and means for impellingtobacco stripped from said tined conveyor into said tower at apredetermined velocity.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, including vibrating screen-conveyingmeans for receiving the tobacco stripped from said tined conveyor andremoving fines therefrom before the tobacco is impelled into the tower.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, including means for returningagglomerates from said tower to the lower end of said tined conveyor.

10. A method of dividing cut tobacco into package-size weights whichcomprises the steps of feeding cut tobacco into a tower separator,subjecting it in said tower separator to an upward flow of air ofpredetermined velocity to convey tobacco of a desired density upwardlyaway from material of greater than the desired density, conducting theupwardly conveyed tobacco through a tangential separator, guiding thetobacco leaving the tangential separator into a vertical tube of uniformcross section, observing the level of tobacco in said tube andcontrolling the rate of feed to the tower separator to maintain thelevel within predetermined limits, conveying the tobacco from the lowerend of said tube as a mat of substantially uniform density andcross-sectional area and cutting from said mat predetermined lengthsrepresenting package-size weights.

lll. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mat of tobacco iscompressed before the cutting step.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the tobacco mat is conveyedby a horizontal conveyor to be cut and the cut lengths are wipedtransversely of! the conveyor for feeding to packaging means.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a cutter blade for cuttingthe mat of tobacco is held in a down position while the wiping step isbeing carried out.

1. Apparatus for automatically dividing cut tobacco into package-sizeweights, said apparatus comprising an upstanding conduit of uniformcross sectioN, feed means for feeding loose tobacco of substantiallyuniform density to the upper end of said conduit, said feed meansincluding a vertical tower, means for introducing tobacco laterally intosaid tower, means for producing upward current of air in said tower tocarry upwards only tobacco particles of a desired density, and atangential separator adapted to receive said particles and deliver themto the upper end of said conduit, means for observing the level oftobacco in said conduit, means for controlling the rate of feed oftobacco into said tower to maintain said level within predeterminedlimits, a conveyor disposed beneath the lower end of said conduit, meansfor driving said conveyor to conduct a substantially uniform stream oftobacco from said conduit along a substantially horizontal path, andcutter means for cutting from said stream predetermined lengthsrepresenting package-size weights.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1and including wiper means for wiping a cut length transversely from saidconveyor for feeding to packaging means.
 3. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 2, wherein said cutter means includes a vertically disposedcutting blade, means for vertically reciprocating said blade, ahorizontal presser-plate movable with the cutter blade and adapted tocontact and compress loose tobacco immediately upstream of the cutterblade, and resilient means yieldingly urging said presser-platedownwardly.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wiper meanswipes the cut length of the tobacco from the downstream side of thecutter means while said cutter means remains in a down position. 5.Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, including check weighing means forchecking the weight of packages discharged from the packaging means andresponsive to excessively overweight or underweight packages to alterthe speed of the conveyor.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid tangential separator is designed to utilize the tobacco in theupstanding conduit as an air seal to prevent ingress of air while at thesame time providing discharge means for the material from the tangentialseparator.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said feed meansfurther includes a bulk tobacco conveyor, a plurality of helical rodrotors for removing tobacco from said bulk conveyor, an upwardlyinclined, tined conveyor for receiving tobacco from said rotors, a tinedrotor adjacent said tined conveyor for brushing excess tobacco on saidconveyor downwardly and combing out agglomerates on said conveyor, abrush roller adjacent the upper end of the return run of said tinedconveyor for stripping tobacco from said tined conveyor, and means forimpelling tobacco stripped from said tined conveyor into said tower at apredetermined velocity.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, includingvibrating screen-conveying means for receiving the tobacco stripped fromsaid tined conveyor and removing fines therefrom before the tobacco isimpelled into the tower.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, includingmeans for returning agglomerates from said tower to the lower end ofsaid tined conveyor.
 10. A method of dividing cut tobacco intopackage-size weights which comprises the steps of feeding cut tobaccointo a tower separator, subjecting it in said tower separator to anupward flow of air of predetermined velocity to convey tobacco of adesired density upwardly away from material of greater than the desireddensity, conducting the upwardly conveyed tobacco through a tangentialseparator, guiding the tobacco leaving the tangential separator into avertical tube of uniform cross section, observing the level of tobaccoin said tube and controlling the rate of feed to the tower separator tomaintain the level within predetermined limits, conveying the tobaccofrom the lower end of said tube as a mat of substantially uniformdensity and cross-sectional area and cutting from said mat predeterminedlengths representing package-size weights.
 11. A method as claimed inclaim 10, wherein the mat of tobacco is compressed before the cuttingstep.
 12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the tobacco mat isconveyed by a horizontal conveyor to be cut and the cut lengths arewiped transversely off the conveyor for feeding to packaging means. 13.A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a cutter blade for cutting themat of tobacco is held in a down position while the wiping step is beingcarried out.